The Desert

Gujarat is a dry state. This means one of two things; first, alcohol is illegal, and second, we live in a desert. Whilst our days are mostly limited to the parametres of the courtyard where we live and work, the cooler evenings are ideal for getting out of town and going for a walk. The desertous landscape is astoundingly beautiful, with its orange-red dusty terrain interspersed with patches of green. The low-lying shrubs seem to almost transport you to Africa for a minute, before the various native wildlife species make an appearance and bring us back to India. On a typical walk, we see blue bulls (a very weird animal which appears to be the result of a cross between a cow, deer and horse), buffalo cows and wild asses. This is the only place in India where you can spot the Indian wild ass, as it has all but disappeared from the rest of Asia. Upon entering an area of protected land a few weeks ago, we were casually informed by our host told to stay alert and keep the dogs on their leads as there could be wolves about. A little unnerving!

Our evening walks usually coincide with the Sun going down, setting the desert sky on fire. Awash in a multitude of colours, from pastel pinks and powder blues, to brilliant oranges and reds. The sky appears almost continuously on the point of melting. It really does take your breath away.

Life at Sri Rajini is pretty intense, with busy days and a heavy workload, so our evening walks provide a necessary contrast. They are a welcome release, putting things into perspective and rebooting energy levels. They are yet another part of my life here that I have started to treasure.

The Indian Wild Ass